Item 6- FY26 Enhancements Report — original pdf

Backup

FY26 Enhancements Report — NOT INCLUDED (Unfunded) Items for Public Safety & Related Departments1 Austin Emergency Management Department- Priority Title Brief Description Austin Emergency Management-02 Planned Events Budget Austin Emergency Management-04 Austin Emergency Management-05 Disaster Funding and Cost Recovery Program- Vendor Fees and Labor FTE for Community Engagement Specialist- Language Access Austin Emergency Management-06 GATRRS Planner FTE The Department is requesting an investment for responding to an increasing volume of planned special events due to growth in Austin. The current response budget is $19,270, but the annual cost to respond to planned events is $47,367, which are not eligible for federal reimbursement and have occurred consistently for the past five years. The Department is requesting an investment for managing disaster preparedness, response, and the FEMA Public Assistance program. HSEM does not have a budget for the labor or vendor costs to manage the cost recovery process with state and federal governments, although five percent of the vendor costs are reimbursable as part of Category administrative costs. The Department is requesting a Community Engagement Specialist-Language Access FTE to migrate a temporary position to a full-time permanent role. This position was developed from an audit and led the coordination and development of the Citywide Emergency Language Access Plan, fulfilling the ongoing process of its implementation. The Department is requesting an FTE to effectively manage and operationalize the Greater Austin-Travis County Regional Radio System (GATRRS). While the Radio Shop Handles the technical aspects, HSEM has been the primary lead for its operational implementation. Annualized Ongoing Funding One-Time Funding $47,637 $0 $1,888,295 $0 $123,367 $3,000 $114,745 $12,000 Austin Fire Departme nt Priority Title Brief Description Annualized Ongoing Funding One-Time Funding 1 https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/BOE/Budget/FY26_Enhancements_Report.pdf The Department is requesting investment in staffing for two aerial ladder trucks that currently lack crews, noting that the last such crew was added in 1995. The Department is requesting an investment to cover increased personnel costs from rising over time rates and unfunded personal holidays. The Department is requesting an investment to increase the personnel line for civilian overtime and temporary hires, noting no increase in civilian FTE funding for eight years. The Department is requesting an investment to implement an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system at the Public Safety Wellness Center to improve medical record tracking and security. The Department is requesting funding for professional development and Fire Ground Officer trainings to ensure safe, effective emergency scene management and skill development. The Department is requesting to convert a Captain to a Battalion Chief FTE to provide full-time supervision over Arson, due to the current work load split with Special Events management. The Department is requesting temporary personnel funding for a nurse to support the increased volume of cadet medical exams across Fire, Police, and EMS in FY26 and beyond. $3,855,668 $211,000 $2,700,000 $618,000 $20,000 $90,000 $15,610 $95,633 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 The Department is requesting a one- time investment to replace firefighting jackets containing PFAS, in compliance with City Council’s resolution to eliminate PFAS from equipment. $0 $300,000 Austin Fire-01 Austin Fire-02 Austin Fire-03 Austin Fire-05 Austin Fire-07 Austin Fire-08 Austin Fire-09 Austin Fire-10 Staffing Two Aerial Trucks (32 Sworn FTE's) Sworn Overtime Increase Civilian Overtime and Temporary Employee Funding Electronic Health Records Software Profession al Developm ent: Officer training Arson Convert Captain to BC Public Safety Wellness Center Temporary Nurse Per- andpoly- Fluoro Alkyl Substance s( PFAS) free all- weather jackets Austin Fire-11 Austin Fire-12 Austin Fire-13 Austin Fire-14 Two LTs for Prob FF Tracking & Driver Training Dedicated Fire Engine at Training Academy Operations Squad Staffing (2 units) Special Operations equipment Austin Fire-15 Additional Dispatch FTEs Austin Fire-16 Austin Fire-17 Austin Fire-18 Austin Fire-19 Wildfire new Battalion Chief FTE Public Informatio n Office (PIO) Manager Level AHaz Mat Suits- 96total Flashover Chamber Replacem ent The Department is requesting 2 Lieutenant FTEs in FY27 to train larger cadet classes, which will reduce firefighter vacancies and overtime backfill costs. The Department is requesting an investment for a dedicated training engine to give firefighters hands-on experience with hose deployment and apparatus operations before real emergencies. The Department is requesting 4 FTEs (2 squads consisting of 1 Lieutenant and 1 Fire Specialist each) to staff response vehicles for low-acuity emergencies and assist downtown calls. The Department is requesting an investment to sustain the Haz Mat program if federal grants are permanently suspended, as AFD provides regional hazardous materials response services. The Department is requesting 4 Fire Specialist FTEs in the Communications Division to meet contractual obligations and ensure timely 911 responses across 10 Travis County districts. The Department is requesting a Wildfire Staff Battalion Chief FTE to manage the growing Wildfire Division, as Austin’s wild fire risk continues to rise. The Department is requesting a civilian FTE to support the Fire PIO Office, restoring capacity lost when the Marketing Manager position was eliminated. The Department is requesting an investment to replace expired Level AHaz Matsuits, which are critical to protect firefighters from hazardous exposures. The Department is requesting one-time funding to replace the flashover chamber, a vital training tool that has become structurally unsound from intense use. $367,040 $0 $0 $550,000 $2,540,651 $300,000 $0 $0 $586,165 $60,000 $207,148 $118,000 $127,417 $5,000 $0 $0 $156,000 $150,000 The Department is requesting additional FTEs and funding to meet new mobile food vendor inspection protocols requiring on-site visits and appointment scheduling systems. $1,039,764 $275,000 Austin Fire-20 Request Additional Staff for Onsite Mobile Food Permitting Austin Police Departme nt Priority Title Brief Description Austin Police-01 Axon Contract Austin Police-02 Ballistic Shields for Patrol Vehicles Austin Police-03 Peregrine Software-as- a-Service Platform Austin Police-04 16 Call Taker II FTEs and 10 Dispatcher III FTEs for Emergency Comms Division The Department is requesting an investment for a revised contract with Axon to provide Technology and equipment solutions, including Taser upgrades, body-worn camera plans, FUSUS software, cloud storage, unlimited transcription, AI report writing software, drones, and any new items produced during the contract's lifetime. This will enhance APD's operational capabilities and efficiency. The Department is requesting an investment for one-time funding to purchase ballistic-rated shields for every patrol vehicle. These shields serve as critical de-escalation tools, allowing officers to buy time, create distance, and take cover from armed or dangerous subjects. The Department is requesting an investment for the Peregrine software platform, a CJIS-compliant software-as-a-service that integrates, discovers, views, and analyzes data from APD-defined sources. Peregrine enhances APD's capabilities for data-driven crime prevention and investigative tools. The Department is requesting 16 Call Taker II and 10 Police Dispatcher III FTEs to maintain adequate emergency services and meet the NENA standard of answering 90% of 911 calls within 15 seconds. This is in response to the city's growth and increased 911 call volume. Annualized Ongoing Funding $2,454,624 One-Time Funding $1,564,227 $3,055,546 $0 $650,000 $0 $2,438,185 $0 Austin Police-05 Austin Police-06 Four Public Information Request Specialist FTEs for Open Records (including G-file requests) Police Recruiting Marketing Campaign The Department is requesting four Public Information Request (PIR) Specialist FTEs to respond to PIRs, including sworn g-file requests, as part of the Meet & Confer Agreement with the Austin Police Association. $394,025 $30,000 $0 $500,000 The Department is requesting an investment for a strategic recruitment marketing campaign to attract and hire police cadet candidates. With over 300 sworn police officer vacancies, this campaign aims to improve staffing, enhance community safety, and restore trust in the Department and City leadership. Austin Police Oversight Department Priority Austin Police Oversight-01 Title Brief Description Administrative Support-1 position The Department is requesting an administrative support position to report to the Complaints Supervisor and provide crucial administrative and staff support. This role involves collecting and analyzing community complaint data, managing public information requests, and coordinating data exchanges between the Office of Police Oversight and APD. Annualized Ongoing Funding $85,536 One-Time Funding $0 Austin-Travis County EMS Department Priority Title Brief Description Austin Emergency Medical Services- 01 Overtime Funding Austin Emergency MedicalServices- 02 Continuing Education Training Hour Enhancement Austin Emergency Medical Services- 03 Education and Development Staffing The Department is requesting an investment to fund overtime at ATCEMS to maintain normal operations across all programs. This investment is needed because overtime is required to backfill open vacancies and maintain staffing levels. The Department is requesting an investment to increase annual training hours per ATCEMS employee from 24 to 50 hours. This investment is needed to expand beyond mandated medical training to include operational, leadership, and specialty team training. The Department is requesting an investment to support staffing in the ATCEMS education division. This investment is needed to maintain state- mandated continuing education for over 688 FTEs and onboard about 100 cadets annually. Annualized Ongoing Funding $4,348,420 One-Time Funding $0 $1,031,245 $0 $771,771 $24,000 Austin Emergency Medical Services- 04 On Duty Paramedic Certification Program- staffbackfillfun ding Austin Emergency Medical Services- 05 AID (BLS) Units Austin Emergency Medical Services- 06 EMS Communicatio ns Staffing Austin Emergency Medical Services- 07 Expansion of Paramedic Practitioner Program to 24 hours Austin Emergency Medical Services- 08 Collaborative Care Response Unit Austin Emergency Medical Services- 09 Mental Health Response Unit Austin Emergency Medical Services- 10 Data Analyst The Department is requesting an investment to fund over time back fill for current employees enrolled in the ATCEMS in-house paramedic program. This investment is needed to ensure adequate staffing levels while employees participate in essential training. The Department is requesting an investment to add one AID (Basic Life Support) unit per year over the next five years. This investment is needed to work with the Collaborative Care Communications Center to meet increased EMS and health care demands. The Department is requesting an investment to increase staffing levels in EMS Communications due to a 25% increase in 911 calls since 2014. This investment is needed to meet national standards for call response times and ensure public safety. The Department is requesting an investment to expand the Paramedic Practitioner program to 24/7 availability. This investment is needed to reduce patient reliance on emergency departments and provide lower-cost, high- quality care to over 5,000 patients. The Department is requesting 6 Clinical Specialist FTEs and 2 vehicles to expand the Collaborative Care Response Unit for low acuity patients. This investment is needed to improve 911 efficiency and provide extended, cost-effective service and coverage. The Department is requesting 10 Clinical Specialist FTEs, 6 vehicles, and medical equipment to expand a mental health crisis response team. This investment is needed to reduce strain on traditional EMS and APD resources and enhance patient-care experiences. The Department is requesting a Civilian Data Analyst FTE with emergency services experience. This position is needed to evaluate and interpret operational data and support strategic $1,474,407 $0 $1,165,558 $756,908 $1,051,028 $78,300 $569,434 $182,000 $672,939 $237,216 $1,149,522 $949,648 $133,963 $0 Austin Emergency Medical Services- 11 Sobering Center improvements for responsiveness and efficiency. The Department is requesting an investment to increase the Sobering Center contract from $2.5M to $2.87M in FY26. This investment is needed to maintain current operations and support expanded services, including new staff, wage increases, and facility upgrades. $1,016,655 $0 Austin Public Health Department Priority Title Brief Description Austin PublicHealth -04 Community Violence Intervention Austin Public Health-09 Funding for Emergency Preparednes s Initiatives The Department is requesting an investment for expanding and increasing funding for key interventions to build the community intervention ecosystem. This will develop strategies to reduce crime and enhance the Office of Violence Prevention’s capacity to reduce violence and actualize peace in Austin. The Department is requesting an investment for expanding the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) in emergency preparedness and response. This will strengthen APH’s CHW Hub and the Community Health Worker Alliance of Central Texas to develop transformative, data-driven community education and preparedness training. Annualized Ongoing Funding One-Time Funding $3,249,258 $0 $460,024 $0